About the Japanese Friendship Garden

On April 22, 2010, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new Japanese friendship
garden at Clark College. Groundbreaking participants included (left to right): Vancouver
Mayor Tim Leavitt, Clark College Board of Trustees Chair Addison Jacobs, Clark College
President Robert K. Knight, Associated Students of Clark College (ASCC) President
Ashley Schahfer, former Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard, Executive Vice President of
SEH America, Inc. Tatsuo Ito, and Parks Foundation Board President Henry Gerhard.

Dr. Chihiro Kanagawa, CEO of SEC (Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd.), the parent company
of SEH America, extended an offer to establish a beautiful Japanese friendship garden
in the city of Vancouver. The city honored Clark College by proposing that the garden
be created on Clark's main campus.

Clark College President Robert K. Knight noted, "Our predecessors had the vision to
embrace the gift of those magnificent cherry trees, and we are all the beneficiaries
of that legacy. We are gratified to have the chance to do the same for the generations
that follow us."

Garden features

Natural features such as rivers, mountains and landforms are symbolically represented
in this garden. The inspiration for the concepts derives from natural features of
the Pacific Northwest landscape and allusions to philosophical and cultural ideas.

The winding pathway represents the meandering flow of the Columbia River through the
Columbia Gorge. It is the defining pathway that connects all the spaces together.
The sculpted earth berm modulates the topography of the landforms. The cherry trees
follow the meandering pathway and are an extension of the cherries on the campus walk.
They are symbolic of evanescence.

Stones are an integral element in the garden. The use of stones in a Japanese garden
is a fundamental element that can be traced back to prehistoric times.

The granite water feature defines the south entry. It is auspicious to locate a water
feature as a welcoming gesture from the south. The black granite is from India. The
crescent stone walls are composed of Columbia River basalt.

The vertical grouping of stones composed of weathered columnar basalt is representative
of the exposed basalt formations of the Columbia Gorge. It is a strong visual space
and can be used for gatherings. The cut and polished benches provide seating. The
donor’s name will be etched into the larger bench.